A Modern-Day Chase Through the Ages
by Tia-Lewise
Summary: When you once spent two years running amok with a gang of teenagers that valued friendship above all else, it becomes a real force of habit for some - especially if you're seeing who appears to be your childhood friend from 3,000 years ago on the train to work every morning. What's a shy, game-crazy, definitely-not-lovestruck Pharaoh to do? Rated T for swearing - thanks, Bakura!
1. Chapter 1

_**I had a sudden fit of inspiration after I read a super sweet Vaseshipping RP on Tumblr - please visit this chapter on my AO3 profile for the link, as FF is terrible for allowing you to do anything that involves links. I had SpiritualPuzzleshipper screaming in joy when I showed her this first chapter so hopefully the rest of you will enjoy it as well!**_

* * *

Every morning, she was there. Packed into the train in the horrendous Japanese rush-hour like so many sardines, and yet, she never seemed to mind. Book in hand, and headphones in situ, she always found a spot amidst the crush that accommodated her, and lost herself in numerous fantasy worlds.

Every morning, Atem stared at her. He really didn't mean to, and half the time probably didn't realise he was doing it, but stare he did. She never noticed, too absorbed in her book, but she would always smile at him as they left the train at the same stop, and the flash of teeth and delicate, upturned lips made butterflies explode in the former Pharaoh's stomach every time.

 _Is this what I've been reduced to? Leering like a perverted old man at a perfect stranger?_

She was beautiful, yes, but that wasn't the reason Atem stared.

 _She looks like…she looks so much like…_

But he never could pluck up the courage to speak to her, or ask her name.

 _"Mou hitori no boku,_ are you sure? Really sure? Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you again, are they?"

Ah…there was the voice that always forced him to stop and think a little.

Atem twitched his nose, shifting his glasses back into their usual place, and sighed. Not for the first time, he marvelled at modern advancements; he couldn't see _nearly_ this well 3,000 years ago, and he'd gotten more than a little excited when he found out that yes, he certainly _could_ wear those delightful red frames. "I can't be sure," he admitted, "but I just have this gut feeling…and I can't seem to shake it off."

Yugi gave a muffled giggle as he took a voracious bite of his hamburger. "Well, you're going to have to either say hi to her soon, or stop staring, because sooner or later, somebody is going to go all "white knight" on you and punch you in the nose."

Atem didn't know what Yugi meant by "white knight", but he didn't much fancy the idea of being punched in the nose. Uttering another sigh, he poked at the box of French fries before him on the table. Burger World had sounded like a good idea at the time, but now he wasn't all that hungry.

"Am I being stupid, _aibou?"_ he asked. "Surely I must be imagining things."

"No, I think it's perfectly possible," Yugi replied. "I mean, look. You're here, alive and in your own body, and the same goes for Bakura. If you two can be present in the present time, then I'm sure anyone else could be."

"It's different, though. Bakura and I were spirits that couldn't pass on, but this woman, she...if she is...I don't know what happened to her, if she even survived..."

Yugi reached out and patted Atem's hand. "I'm sure you'll figure something out soon. I've faith in you."

"Thank you, _aibou."_

Yugi smiled warmly. "What are friends for, hm? Come on, let's finish these up and then head home. I promised Ryou I'd help him build his new game board and I don't think I could stand his puppy-dog eyes if we're late!"

* * *

It had been three years since Atem's return to the mortal plain. Three years since _Wesir_ himself had granted him the life that had so cruelly forsaken him as Pharaoh, and allowed him use of his original form. Atem had crash-landed rather unceremoniously in Domino City, brown, beautiful and linen-clad, with only one thought in mind – to reach Yugi and apologise infinitely for forcing the boy to send him away.

Oh, how there had been tears. So many tears. That first night back had been mostly spent in Yugi's arms as they both sobbed and laughed and vowed never to let go of each other again. Atem could not recall the last time he felt such true happiness, compared to the warmth and love he felt in the embrace of his _aibou._

And now, three years on, he lived with Yugi and Ryou in a cosy apartment in the centre of Domino. He'd worried that he might be a constant "cock-block," as Bakura so fondly liked to call it, but Yugi had been insistent he stay with them, and Ryou, polite as ever, had smiled and nodded and welcomed Atem in with open arms like the old friend he was.

He hadn't been altogether too surprised to find that Yugi and Ryou were in a relationship. He'd heard enough of Yugi's inner thoughts back in the day, and knew of the boy's desire to know Ryou better, and the conflict he felt due to the dark spirit residing in Ryou's body. Once all was said and done, there really was no better match for the two, and Atem was happy beyond words for them.

Bakura had returned too, muttering something about "be fucking damned if that son of a stallion's rotting loins gets to come back to life without me." Nobody had any idea how he'd managed to do it, but there were suspicions floating around concerning copious amounts of alcohol, dice, and gambling with the gods. His return had been little more than a mild inconvenience; Bakura didn't have much desire to exact his revenge anymore, and could usually be found gaming with Ryou if he wasn't at home with Malik. The former King of Thieves had been granted his old body as well, and carried himself with a casual airiness that he hadn't possessed as a parasitic gaoler of Ryou's body. Heck, he even cracked a true smile or two these days.

Malik looked up from the sofa as Yugi and Atem let themselves in. A book rested on his knees, and a pair of purple-framed glasses on his nose. "Hi, guys," he grinned.

"Hey, Malik," Yugi replied, returning his friend's grin.

"It's awfully quiet," Atem commented. "Have you come on your own?"

"Nah, Ryou's got Bakura in his bedroom, designing character sheets for their nerd-fest." Malik turned a page of his book and settled a little more comfortably into the sofa, tucking his knees up to the side. "Whoever came up with the phrase "silence is golden" must have had Kura in mind the whole time. Do you realise this is the first moment of peace I've had in months?"

"We'll let you enjoy it then," Atem laughed, careful to keep his voice down, or he knew Bakura would come barrelling into the room with his trusty insults at the ready. Instead, he and Yugi slipped through to the kitchen, where Yugi put water on the boil for drinks.

The sound of the kettle switching on never failed to attract Ryou, and sure enough, he appeared over Yugi's shoulder a moment later. "Yes please," he giggled, kissing Yugi's cheek.

Yugi smiled fondly at his lover as he reached for the pot of teabags. "How's the campaign-building going? You still want some help with the board?"

"Yeah, that would be awesome. Thank you!" Ryou pressed a final kiss into Yugi's hair and then bounded back out of the room.

"Ryou's tea senses are inhumane," Atem commented.

"It's the English in him," Yugi replied with a bright laugh.

They finished making the drinks and split the mugs between them to carry them through to the sitting room. Ryou had floated off elsewhere in the apartment, but Bakura had made an appearance now. He sat beside Malik with his head resting on his shoulder, but the moment he saw Atem and Yugi enter, he jerked away and folded his arms, setting his face into its usual scowl.

Yugi rolled his eyes. "Oh, relax."

"Fuck you," Bakura muttered. Malik sighed, shaking his head, and returned to his book.

Ryou reappeared a few moments later, carting a sizeable armful of craft items and several bags dangling from the crook of his elbow. The various bits and bobs rolled away all over the place when he set them down, but eventually they had everything they needed assembled, accompanied by the sketches and annotations Ryou had drawn up in preparation for building.

Yugi immediately dropped down to the carpet and began consulting the drawings, a keen eye brought on by his love of a challenge sparkling. Atem joined him, curious about the new build; he hadn't seen any of the plans until now, and with a jolt, he realised it was an ancient Egyptian build.

 _Home…well, a long time ago._

 _How fitting._

The mud-brick huts Ryou was putting together, the sand Yugi was gluing down onto the game board itself…he couldn't help but think about the young woman on the train, and how much she resembled the childhood friend he oft wondered about. Had she lived a happy life under Pharaoh Set? Had she become a successful magician? Would her master have been proud of her?

 _Mana…_

 _I may be clutching at straws here, but I really do think it might be you._

Atem began piecing together the components for a half-ruined drinking well, with a clear head and a resolute smile on his face. He'd finally made up his mind.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Summary: Train shenanigans and high heel appreciation, amongst other randomness.**_

* * *

The next week went by slow and easy. Atem had a week's worth of annual leave to use up at work, so he'd delegated his caseload to his colleagues and passed the time lounging about with Yugi and Ryou, building their campaign board and snacking endlessly. Atem could have sworn that come Sunday, when he had to get up for work again, that his trousers felt far too tight around his waist.

The short walk to the train station was uneventful, with just a fine drizzle dampening the air. Most of the early morning commuters held umbrellas over their heads, but Atem just buttoned up his jacket and took a deep, satisfied breath of the soft dew. Egypt had seldom seen rain, and never anything as fine as this. It felt pleasant on his skin and in his hair, something he never tired of. He continued the walk with a light spring in his step.

Only a few people milled about the train platform at this time in the morning - Sunday was fairly quiet on this particular line, and Atem could normally sit down for the journey, unlike weekdays where the pushers were always necessary. With a slightly disappointed pang in his chest, he saw that the woman with the book and headphones wasn't there. _Well, I can't imagine everybody in Domino works on a Sunday._

The train was running a few minutes late, so Atem leaned back against a pillar and folded his arms. He probably looked casual and collected to any onlookers, but inside, his brain was whirring with the ever-present disbelief that life as he knew it now was so... _normal._ As Pharaoh, he'd barely been afforded the chance to experience growing up, but now here he was, a young adult with a full-time job and nowhere near the responsibilities he'd had as ruler of Egypt - just a different sort these days.

Atem looked up as the first rhythmic clacks of the approaching train made themselves known. At almost the same time, a clattering of urgent feet came down the stairs from the concourse and onto the platform. Atem hid a smile beneath his scarf at the sight of the woman who looked like Mana, panting hard and hair in disarray. To be perfectly honest, he was just impressed that she could run in those deadly-looking high heels.

"You're just in time," he remarked.

She looked up, hands on her knees, and gave a breathless laugh. "That'll teach me to spend an extra five minutes in bed, eh?"

"I'm sure we've all done it at least once."

The train pulled up at the platform, and the woman slipped her headphones on as usual. She flashed Atem a beaming smile as she swept into the nearest carriage. The former Pharaoh wondered whether to follow her and sit nearby, but he knew he'd end up staring again, and Yugi's words about being punched in the nose hung heavily on him. He settled instead for taking the next carriage over, and settled down on one of the rickety seats with an ankle resting on the opposite knee, laid-back and relaxed. The whirring in his brain never ceased, mind firmly on the woman sat in the carriage behind him.

Did soft, orchestral strains resonate in her ears, the kind of music Bakura loved? Or was she more like Ryou, who favoured the harsh clashing of drums and guitar? Maybe she liked the bubble-gum pop Yugi and Malik often danced to after one too many drinks?

At least the books she carried spoke more about what she liked. Today she had been holding a paperback with a solemn-looking, sapphire-blue dragon on the front cover. It looked familiar, possibly something he had seen in Ryou's bag at one point in time. Atem made a mental note to ask him about it later.

 _Oh, heavens. I sound so creepy._ Atem facepalmed and groaned in frustration. _I'm utterly hopeless..._

As his thoughts left him, the skin on the back of his neck began to prickle. It wasn't unlike the sensation he used to get when Kaiba challenged him to duels - sheer instinct made him whip around quickly to find the source of the foreboding, and he was met with a high-pitched squeak, followed by a dull _thud_ of a body hitting the floor.

Atem blinked in surprise to see the woman who resembled Mana, hissing and rubbing her bruised rump with an indignant scowl on her face.

"I-I'm sorry!" Atem blustered. "I didn't mean to frighten you." He extended a hand to assist her in standing, but she didn't seem annoyed or upset by the tumble. Rather, she just tossed back her hair and giggled.

"It's alright," she replied. "My own fault for sneaking up on you!" She pointed to the seat opposite Atem. "May I sit here?"

"By all means." The woman hopped into her seat, glancing briefly in the window to fix her hair and brush down her jacket. Atem watched her with fascination, not daring to interrupt her primping and content just to watch her.

After a few moments, she turned back. "You always travel at the same time as me," she smiled, "and you have a kind face. It was about time I came over and said hi."

Atem chuckled softly. "You saved me a job. I was hoping to do the same." He leaned forward a touch. "What's your name?"

"I'm Kahina Mana Nassar! And you?"

A lead bolt punched its way into Atem's chest, leaving a heavy, dull sensation that he hadn't expected at all. Nerves? Shock? Expectation? He wasn't sure. Regardless, he kept his voice level and steady. "Ankh-Atem Khanen Mutou. I just go by Atem."

Her eyes lit up. "Oh, wow! I thought you might be Egyptian, but that name, it's so familiar. Like...like _Ancient_ Egyptian!"

"You'd be right." Atem couldn't help but marvel at how easy it was to talk to Kahina. It felt so familiar, and she shared her middle name with the magician's apprentice from his past, but was it her? She didn't seem to recognise him at all, or if she did, she was giving nothing away. "You're Egyptian too, right? I'd recognise your accent and those cheekbones anywhere."

Kahina laughed and cupped her face in her hands. "Oh, you flatterer! That's the power of good contouring! I'm Luxor born and bred - lived in Domino about three years now. What about you?"

"Three years, same as you." Atem decided it was best not to mention that he'd resided in Yugi's body for two years at some point.

Kahina was practically bouncing in her seat. "You have no idea how exciting this is for me! It isn't often I get to meet others from back home!"

"True, there aren't many of us. I know of two more, and they're friends of mine, well, one of them is."

"That bad, huh?" Kahina grinned.

"Let's just say he's got a colourful mouth. You'd probably like him." _If you just don't remember that he murdered your master in cold blood – ah, but it might not be you!_

The rest of the journey was spent chatting about their lives in Domino. Kahina lived with her two cats in an apartment on the other side of the city, and was training to be a teacher. Someday she hoped to be able to teach History, but she said it was a long way off.

She expressed fascination at Atem's career - that he supported teenagers and young adults with mental health troubles. Technically, he was still in a trainee position, but he had a small caseload now, that he handled with the aid of a supervisor from time to time. Winning at games, any game, brought satisfaction, but his job brought that and more...it was _rewarding._

Before they knew it, the train was pulling into their station, and they jumped up to exit quickly. Atem let Kahina out first, and she flashed him that same beaming smile. "It was lovely talking to you, Atem," she said. "I suppose I'll see you in the morning!"

"I don't suppose there will be much room to sit down and talk again," Atem chuckled.

"Nope, not with the rush-hour crowd! So how about we meet for a drink after work tomorrow?"

Atem blinked a few times, not quite understanding her meaning. It took several seconds for it to sink in, and he remembered that meeting for drinks was a typical way for youngsters such as themselves to socialise. He nodded, hoping he wasn't blushing, but his cheeks felt as though they might be on fire. "I'd like that."

"Great! There's a nice place just around the corner from my apartment. Here, I'll write down the address..." Kahina dug a pen and a scrap of paper from her bag and scrawled out a few lines in rather wonky Japanese. She handed it to Atem with a triumphant grin. "Let's say around eight o'clock? Give us both time to get home and change."

"Sure, that sounds nice."

"Okay, it's a date! See ya then!" Kahina took off down the street, heels clacking on the pavement and hair bouncing around her face. As she went, she raised a hand in farewell.

Atem looked down at the rumpled paper in his hand and felt his cheeks heat up further.

 _A…date?_

 _What does this mean?_

 _I need Yugi's help on this one._


	3. Chapter 3

_**Summary: Flashbacks, headaches, and an obligatory love of Eragon.**_

* * *

"It's a date" turned out to just be a pretty figure of speech, as a hysterically laughing Bakura pointed out when he eavesdropped on Yugi and Atem conversing quietly in the kitchen once Atem had finished work. Ryou had promptly thrown a paint-laden brush at the back of Bakura's head, which then led into a rather messy scuffle that made Atem infinitely grateful that Ryou had had the good idea to spread out a tarpaulin before they started painting their game board.

Atem didn't see Kahina at all the next morning – he could only assume she'd been herded into a neighbouring carriage – but that was fine; it gave him a little headspace to think their conversation over. Once it came to his work, however, he found his concentration wandering, and more than once caught himself simply staring at his fingers lying slack atop his computer keyboard.

 _What on earth is wrong with me today?_

By the time evening rolled around, Atem had flung aside half his wardrobe, turning his bedroom into something resembling Yugi's as a teenager, and he sat, scowling, at the mess he'd made. How could picking clothes be so confusing?

Ryou popped his head round the door, presumably roused by the racket Atem had been making. "Oh, dear," he laughed. "What's all this?"

Atem sighed. "I've no fashion sense, Ryou. What do _you_ usually wear if you're going out for a drink?"

"You're assuming I'm integrated enough in society to go out drinking," grinned Ryou. "Mind you, that being said…hmmm…" He knelt on the carpet and picked up a few discarded items of clothing, tilting them back and forth like a jeweller inspecting a diamond. "Just throw on some clean jeans and a nice shirt, maybe? You've got a red one hanging about somewhere, haven't you?"

"I think so..." Atem hopped off the bed and rummaged in a drawer, eventually pulling out a rather wrinkled ball of crimson cotton. "It, uh, looks like it might need an iron."

"That's for sure," Ryou laughed. "I'll iron it for you - and you can tidy all this up."

"Yes, mother," Atem grinned, and Ryou stuck out his tongue playfully as he snagged the shirt from Atem's hands and left the room to seek out their seldom-used iron.

 _Am I over thinking this? Should I be wanting to put in this much effort with my appearance? It's just a drink, right?_

Thirty minutes later, Atem left the apartment with his shirt freshly ironed, eyes outlined with a thin sweep of kohl, and a dab of cologne on his wrists and throat, but with no less confusion than before. Luckily, he was too intent on not getting lost on the way to…wherever he was going…to dwell on matters much.

It turned out to be a British-style bar, which made Atem feel a little more at ease; there seemed to be so many _rules_ in Japan, so much etiquette, and he was glad that there wouldn't be much expected of him in this sort of establishment. Kahina was already inside by the time Atem stepped over the threshold. Only half her face could be seen over the top of her book, but she looked up and gave him a cheery wave, evidently looking out for him. A slim glass of dark liquid sat on the table before her.

Atem ordered a small glass of spritzer at the counter – the strength of most modern alcohol was something he wasn't used to – then took the seat opposite Kahina and grinned at her. "Hey there."

Kahina put her book down, beaming. "Hi, Atem! Did you get here okay?"

"Mm. I hope I didn't keep you waiting."

"No, I only just got here myself. How are you?"

"Oh, uh...a bit nervous, if truth be told."

"Something I said?"

"No, it isn't you at all, just...I suppose I'm not used to meeting with people like this."

"You don't get out much, huh?"

"I play a lot of video games."

Kahina threw her head back and laughed merrily. Atem laughed with her, marvelling once more how easy it was to speak with her.

Their conversation flowed like wine at a dinner party, rich and full of life. Kahina chatted away about the wonderful projects her pupils were working on, and how tedious marking essays could be. Atem fondly remembered watching Yugi putting all his heart and soul into his own schoolwork all those years ago, and nodded along with Kahina's words, allowing himself to be swept away by her gentle timbre.

Atem spoke, with details redacted, of the boy with dissociative identity disorder that he had had a meeting with earlier in the day. He'd been on his caseload for some time, and the meeting was just a check-in, really, but they'd both ended up playing on the boy's GameBoy instead. Kahina snorted with amusement, calling Atem typical, "but isn't it counter-productive to be pandering to him like that?" she added.

"Quite the contrary," Atem replied. "The console is his coping outlet and how he grounds himself if he feels himself disconnecting. At the time, it was the best way to maintain his wellbeing."

"Wow, you must be incredibly versatile to work in such an area."

"I've…seen a lot of trauma in young people over the years. Had a hand in some of it myself. That's why I want to help those same people now. I couldn't see myself anywhere else."

They lapsed into a short, comfortable silence as they raised their glasses to their lips and smiled at each other. Atem took that moment to really look at Kahina, taking in her appearance. She had tied her hair back into a messy bun, runaway strands framing her face, and she wore a copper-coloured vest top, black cardigan, and dark blue jeans. Atem couldn't help but think the colour of her vest complimented her skin tone wonderfully.

"You look lovely, Kahina," he commented, and Kahina burst into blushing giggles. "I wasn't sure what to wear for this, in all honesty."

"Aw, did you think you needed to dress up?" Kahina teased. "You're so cute!"

"Well, like I said...video games."

"True, true!" Kahina set her glass down, still chuckling to herself. "You're not looking so bad yourself, though. That shirt really brings out the colour of your eyes."

It was Atem's turn to blush now, and he searched for a way to change the subject. The cover of Kahina's book made him think - he'd seen the book before, in Ryou's hand, he knew he had. "How far in are you?" he asked, tapping the book for emphasis.

"I'm near the finish now," Kahina smiled. "It's amazing how talented the author is - he was only fifteen when he started writing it! Dragons and magic and all things supernatural…I love losing myself in fantasy and old history..."

Her eyes glazed over a moment, as if cognitive thought left her entirely, but with a jerk, she returned. "Hey...can I tell you something super weird and totally not possible?"

"Of course you may." Atem ran his finger up the side of his glass to catch a bead of condensation.

The blush on Kahina's cheeks lit up again, her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth as if deep in thought. "See, I look back on stuff," she said, "and I'm so convinced I had this…ah…Atem, do you ever get that sense that something has happened before? Not like Déjà vu, but like...oh, I can't explain it without sounding like a total nutcase."

"No, no…please, go on." Atem's heart began to pound in his chest from the anticipation.

"Um…well, sometimes I wonder if it's possible to have lived a past life. I know some faiths believe this, and talk of reincarnation and such. Maybe it was some odd dream I had as a kid, or some silly thought, but..." Kahina's brow furrowed. "I'm not making much sense, am I?"

"Take your time. I'm in no rush for you to collect your words together."

"Okay then. Hmm…how to put it…sometimes I have these little flashbacks of a sort, I guess? I'll be doing something menial and then _whoosh,_ there goes my brain connecting it to something I feel I did a long, long time ago." Kahina fiddled with the worn cork coaster underneath her glass. "Like, just the other day I was feeding my cats, and suddenly I started remembering something to do with ancient funerary rites for the poor things when they died…but I've never done anything like that before. Oh, and every time I see a certain Duel Monsters card, my head goes all fuzzy…"

"It wouldn't be Black Magician Girl, by any chance?"

"A-Atem!" Kahina held a hand to her mouth. "That was a very accurate guess. How did you know?"

He shrugged, feeling it best not to answer honestly for now. "Just lucky."

"You must think I'm so strange."

"Not at all," Atem smiled. "You're very interesting, Kahina."

Kahina tapped her fingers in a fragmented rhythm over the front cover of her book. "It's strange, I…I never thought I'd feel comfortable telling someone about these flashbacks. Maybe it's because you work within mental health…I don't know…"

"I can assure you, this has nothing to do with your mental health, Kahina," Atem replied softly. "I might be able to – ah, Kahina? Are you…?"

Atem frowned. Kahina's eyes had become unfocused again, the colour draining from her face in a sickly-looking pallor. "Kahina? Are you okay?"

"My head hurts," she mumbled, rubbing her temples, breath coming in pained groans.

 _She isn't drunk. What could be happening to her?_

"We'd best get you home." Atem slipped out from his seat, not quite knowing how to approach the situation now. Would it be appropriate to help her stand?

In the end, he settled for awkwardly tugging on Kahina's hand, encouraging her to get up, which she did with a low moan and a few curses muttered under her breath.

"God, what the hell is this…oh! Atem, the book – "

"Way ahead of you." Atem held her book up in his hand, using the other to brace Kahina's shoulders. "You said your apartment was just round the corner, didn't you? Are you able to direct us?"

"Yeah. Gods, I'm sorry, Atem."

"You have nothing to apologise for. I just want to get you someplace safe if you're unwell."

She managed a weak smile at that. "Well, aren't you the perfect gentleman."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Summary: Headaches, massages and the death-glare of mau.**_

* * *

Kahina's apartment proved easy to find, despite her headache rendering her half-blind with agony and struggling to direct them there. She couldn't stand to have the overhead lights on, so Atem located a lamp beside the sofa and threw his jacket over it to dim the light to a ruddy glow while Kahina riffled through her medicine cabinet for painkillers. "You okay in there?" Atem called out towards the bathroom.

"No, I'm fine!" Kahina emerged a moment later with two tablets in her hand, which she tossed into her mouth and swallowed. "Well…no. I feel sick as a dog and my head won't stop _pounding."_

"Perhaps you should try to sleep it off?"

Kahina flopped down onto her sofa, shoving a few cat toys out of the way, and laid her head down on the arm with a groan. "Sounds great, but I don't think I'm going to be able to." She reached out a hand out in Atem's general direction. "Come and sit with me for a while?"

"I-I…"

"I'll move my legs. Here, there's room." Kahina drew her knees to her chest in a fetal curl, but Atem continued to stand there and blink and blush; concern about having room to sit down had to be the furthest thing from his mind.

"I shouldn't. It isn't…I mean, I…"

She sighed. "Yeah, I guess that's pretty creepy of me. You can go, if you like. I'll be okay."

A heavy, sinking feeling threatened to crush Atem's ribcage. Here his friend was, confused and in unbearable pain, and he was about ready to run off back to his home and allow himself to be consumed with embarrassment. He could swear one of Kahina's cats was eyeing him with disgust in its yellow gaze, and he shivered in a mixture of reverence and shame.

Holding up one finger to Kahina, he disappeared into her kitchen, and poured her a glass of water, which he pressed into her hand once he returned. A light pink blush crept up Kahina's neck and face. "T-Thank you."

Atem took the previously offered seat and rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke next, "Please forgive my behaviour, Kahina. I'm afraid I'm not all that used to being alone with people who aren't my housemates."

Kahina smiled at Atem weakly. "Do I scare you that much?"

"You don't scare me at all. I just…have the social skills of a deaf dolphin, as Bakura often likes to say."

"Bakhure?" Kahina lifted her head ever so slightly.

"Bakura," Atem corrected gently.

Kahina frowned. "The name sounds familiar, but I… _ahh…"_ She pressed her fingers into her temples again and groaned. "Damn, it hurts so bad right now - !"

Atem found himself leaning forward and laying a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what else to do other than to follow his instincts. Tears glittered at the corners of Kahina's tightly closed eyes and gathered on her lashes as she trembled and gasped in her pain.

Atem recalled a similar look on Mana's face back when they were children, and she had tripped over a rock and cut her knee. She'd clutched at her leg and whimpered and cursed, but refused to let her tears fall. Her bravery was something Atem had always admired as they grew up, and seeing the carbon copy of Mana before him now, he couldn't help but feel that old protectiveness and admiration creep back into his being.

What to do, though? How did one handle a migraine?

A thought came to him – another memory, but from only a few months back; a rare moment of empathy and subsequent scalp rub from Bakura during one of Malik's splitting headaches. It certainly calmed Malik down and eased his discomfort, though he later bitched at Bakura for messing up his foundation.

 _I am_ not _putting her head in my lap, but maybe…_

"Kahina," Atem chanced, "may I…that is to say…do you trust me?"

"O-Oh?" Kahina cracked an eye open. "What…?"

"I saw a friend get a massage when he had a headache. Maybe it would help you as well?" Atem scratched his scalp in an unconscious emphasis that he wasn't asking Kahina to strip off her clothes, merely have her hair down.

Her one eye continued to gaze, wet and bleary, but a slight twitch in the corner of her mouth confirmed her happiness at the thought, and she slowly pushed herself upright. "That…sounds lovely, actually," she whispered. She raised a hand to her head and hooked a finger underneath the gold band holding her bun in place; with a few gentle tugs, the thick mass of chestnut spilled down over her shoulders. "Be gentle, okay?"

"Of course," Atem smiled. "Let me know if I need to do anything different."

Kahina swivelled round then, presenting her back to Atem. His mouth chose that moment to dry up completely, fingers clenching and relaxing repeatedly as he stared at the back of Kahina's head.

 _Where do I start? Well, I guess getting a little closer would be good._

He shuffled forwards on the sofa, crossed his legs, and raised his hands to cup them over Kahina's ears in what he hoped was a gentle, grounding establishment to the act. To his pleasure, she uttered a quiet sigh, and her shoulders visibly dropped. It looked to be a good sign, at any rate, so Atem allowed his fingers to slip beneath Kahina's hair, starting to work his way upwards in careful circles.

He took his time, making sure he didn't snag any hair or tug on tangles. Kahina's locks felt thick and slightly coarse against the sensitive skin of his hands, not unlike his own, and with every passing minute that she didn't tell him to change his technique or stop, his confidence in the act swelled.

"You're really good at this," Kahina whispered. Her head tilted back a touch, making Atem's fingers press firmer against the spot they rested on, and she sighed with obvious delight. "Thank you, Atem…"

"Don't mention it. Least I can do to help you out."

Kahina's posture continued to relax as Atem went on massaging her scalp. The muscles in her neck had a stiff feel to them, so Atem let his hands slip downwards to work out the tension residing there. Kahina occasionally tilted her head left or right in response to his touch, rolling into the presses of his fingers and directing him to where was most uncomfortable.

After a while, Kahina leaned back completely, now resting her body weight against Atem. Her head leaned onto his shoulder with enough room for him to manoeuvre his hands around her head and neck, but it wasn't going to take much more; in fact, she appeared to be falling asleep. "Comfortable?" Atem teased.

Kahina's only response was a soft, content groan, and at that, Atem let his hands come away from Kahina's scalp slowly. He turned his body to sit properly on the sofa again, settling his feet back on the floor; Kahina immediately dropped her head to Atem's chest and nestled into him, much to his shock.

"K-Ka…Kahina?"

"Is it okay?" she murmured.

 _Is it?_ Atem wondered. The girl barely knew him, but she'd been friendly to him from the start, invited him for a drink, put her trust in him to come into her home. It was plain to see that she was incredibly comfortable in Atem's presence, and yet, Atem really did have the social skills of a deaf dolphin after all. As far as anything that wasn't card game related went, the former Pharaoh might as well have been a teenager again, wondering why he sometimes got flushed and jittery around Isis and Mana back in the day.

 _But what is there to lose here?_

"It's okay," he smiled. One hand made its way back to her hair, but only to give it a gentle ruffle.

"Good." Kahina sighed heavily, happily.

"How's your head?"

"Improving." Kahina's eyes were closed, but a sleepy smile plumped her cheeks. "Hey…Atem?"

"Yes?"

"You know…I feel like…" she paused to yawn widely, "like I've known you…all my life…is that weird?"

The heart dead for several thousand years might as well have taken on a sudden, maddeningly rapid, life of its own, but Atem's gaze remained calm. "No, Kahina," he murmured, hand still stroking her hair; he hadn't even registered he was still doing it.

"Mana…"

"Hm?"

"It's alright…you can call me Mana."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Summary: Illness, snacking, and revelations of a vomit-inducing type - there's your content warning for this.**_

* * *

As weeks passed, the time Atem and Mana spent together became more frequent. So, too, did Mana's headaches, doubtless brought on by being in constant close proximity to the former Pharaoh. There were only so many times Atem could offer to massage her head without looking creepy, and yet, it still felt too early to drop the bombshell on Mana about her past.

The confusion and guilt did no favours for Atem's nerves. Ryou suggested inviting Mana over so they could all talk, but with how much time Bakura spent in the apartment, Atem knew she was likely to react badly, considering how bad her migraines became if she recalled his name...or whatever it was she heard.

"Bakhure, did you say?"

"Yeah, that's it. I guess it's similar, but she keeps pronouncing it differently."

Malik and Atem had gone out for coffee together, a rare moment of companionship for them. Atem appreciated the time and effort they had both put into understanding each other, after everything they had been through, and when it came to talking of unlocking deep-set memories, there was nobody better to ask than the former tomb-keeper.

Malik fussed with his cup a moment, making the espresso within ripple and swirl into waves of deepest black. "I wonder if she's recalling Bakura's original name," he mused. "It's been so long that the dumb oaf himself has forgotten it."

"Does it mean anything?" Atem asked.

"You can read it as "sunrise," or "trap for Ra." Come on, Atem, this is your native language!"

"I meant, does it mean anything for Mana's pain? Can we do anything for her?"

Malik shrugged helplessly. "If she carries on spending all this time with you, then she's going to remember stuff sooner or later. I get that you're feeling bad right now, but withholding this from her will only make her hurt for longer. If it were me, I think I would rest easier knowing I'd told a friend a truth that they deserved."

"Or I could..." Atem sighed and pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Maybe it's better that I cut off contact, if being around me makes her suffer."

Malik threw a sugar packet at Atem, hitting him in the middle of his forehead before dropping into the milky foam of Atem's latte. "Don't be stupid," Malik scolded. "Your face fucking lights up when you talk about her. The only other time you look that happy is when Yugi hugs you."

"..." Atem dug out the soggy packet with his spoon and plopped it onto a saucer.

"Look, it's obvious she's important to you. Walk away from her now and you'll _both_ be in pain." Malik pinched the bridge of his nose and huffed heavily. "This girl, Mana...she carries on like this, and she's going to be terrified of her past, the same way I was. She won't be able to accept it because of how it was hidden from her. Tell her, Atem."

He rubbed his shoulder blade and shuddered. "Don't let her hide in the darkness. You saw...you saw what it did to me."

Atem reached out and squeezed Malik's slightly shaking free hand. Once upon a time, Malik would have jerked back at the touch, but the years had softened his tough defences, and he instead managed a weak smile as he returned the gentle squeeze. "I'll try," Atem said. "I don't know how she will react, but I'll try."

"Good. I'll be waiting to hear how it all goes."

* * *

The following morning, Mana was nowhere to be seen on the commute to work. Atem looked around the packed carriage, frowning; they had each other's' numbers now, and she definitely said she was working today…he'd not heard his phone go off, so where could she be?

On his lunch break, he called Mana's phone, but it rang through to her voicemail, so he texted Yugi instead and let him know he'd be coming home a little later tonight. It took Yugi an hour to reply, as he was working also, but he eventually responded with a "thumbs-up," and Atem was satisfied that his _aibou_ wouldn't be worrying all night wondering where he was.

It was on his walk to the train station, after finishing work, that Atem's phone started ringing with Mana's name flashing up onscreen. An unexpected lightening in Atem's chest surprised him, and he exhaled a heavy breath, smiling as he accepted the call.

"Hey there. Is everything alright? I didn't see you this morning, so…"

The reply that met Atem's ear had the air of a creaky door, being pushed ever so slowly in the dead of night.

"Mana…?" Atem frowned.

"…Hi, Atem." A minute hint of a smile tinged a soft voice fraught with exhaustion. "Sorry to make you worry."

"You sound ill. What's happened?"

"Usual."

"Migraine?"

"Mm. I've been in bed all day. I…" Mana let out a dull groan. "I just need this to stop, Atem. It's screwing me up royally."

He sighed. "I know. I know, Mana. Just hang tight, okay? I'm coming over now."

"Are you sure? You don't have to…"

"Very sure, but only if you want me there."

Mana chuckled quietly. "I'd never say no to your company, Atem. Okay, I'll make sure the door is unlocked for you."

* * *

The train ride back to Domino might as well have taken a year; Atem found himself increasingly fidgety and irritable with each passing minute that it felt he'd never arrive back. By the time the rickety old thing rolled into the station, the former Pharaoh couldn't have rushed off faster, a mixture of guilt and urgency throbbing in his chest. He hurried to Mana's apartment, only stopping to dive into a convenience store along the way.

Rucksack substantially heavier, but heart lighter, Atem reached Mana's apartment with little additional distraction. As Mana promised, the door was unlocked; Atem let himself in and promptly wrinkled his nose at the pervading aura of malaise hanging thick in the air. Darkness ran through every room, as Atem remembered from his first time caring for Mana during a migraine. He kicked off his shoes, changed into slippers, scratched behind the ear of the cat rubbing against his leg, then made his way to the bedroom.

The door stood slightly ajar, but Atem tapped on it lightly with his fingers to make his presence known before poking his head around and peering into the room.

"Hey." Mana's dark eyes flashed above her duvet in the dim light of the room. She had the thick duvet pulled up over her nose, only the top half of her head being visible. Even in the gloom, she appeared pale and worn down.

"I brought snacks." Atem held up his rucksack by way of greeting.

Mana's eyes crinkled at the corners as she giggled lightly. "You're so sweet." She patted the spot beside her on the bed. "Come sit down and comfort me."

"Of course." Atem tossed his rucksack to the side of the bed, and settled cross-legged by Mana. "How's your head?"

"Painful," Mana muttered. "Haven't puked my guts up for a few hours, so maybe it's starting to cool off now, but I still feel raw and gross."

"There's some ginger tea in my bag. My mother used to say it was good for settling stomachs."

"Would you?"

"I'd be glad to." Atem gave Mana's hand a gentle pat. Reaching over for the bulging rucksack, he grabbed the attractive-looking yellow box and hopped up to go to the kitchen.

He made a cup for Mana and another for himself while the cats made their displeasure at not being fed right this minute known. "Oh, hush, you noisy lot," Atem grinned; cats might have been as mighty as gods themselves back in his day, but in modern times, he wasn't exactly averse to throwing the odd swear word in Malaika and Hamza's directions.

He finished making the drinks and carried them back to Mana's bedroom, where he found her nibbling on _daifukumochi,_ the opened box sat in front of her. "Yugi loves those," Atem said, indicating the box as he set the cups down on the bedside table. "They seem popular with most people."

Mana nodded, smiling. "They're so good. You should have one, too."

"Ah, no, thank you. I don't have much of a sweet tooth."

"Then what will you snack on?"

Atem pulled out two large bags of potato crisps from his rucksack and several packs of sushi rolls. Mana's lips lifted in an amused grin. "Do you plan on sharing?"

Atem returned her grin. "Only if you promise to rest up afterwards."

"I promise. Can I have one of the _futomaki?"_

Atem passed them over. "I'm not a fan of salmon. You can have all of those ones."

"Damn, you're the best. Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

A wordless splutter almost choked Atem, and he had to take off his glasses to wipe the steam that suddenly fogged them up. Mana chuckled as she settled against her pillows and popped a roll into her mouth; Atem slipped his glasses back on and took a hurried gulp of his tea. It burned his throat in an exhilarating distraction. "You look to be perking up a little," he remarked.

Mana pursed her lips, then nodded. "Yeah, I guess I do feel a bit better." She reached out for her cup of ginger tea and took a small sip. "Thanks for all this, Atem. I honestly don't know how I would have gotten through these last few weeks without you."

Atem opened his mouth to reply, but the words caught in his throat, tough little claws of hesitation fighting against his urge to spit them out. They hurt, to hold them in, but he knew it could cause more hurt if he were able to say them.

"Atem?" Mana frowned. "You look like you swallowed a frog."

"I…" Atem took a deep breath. "Can I tell you something super weird and totally not possible?"

Mana giggled, a rosy flush darkening her cheeks. "Of course."

"What would you say if…if I told you I think _I_ am the cause of your recent illnesses?"

Dark eyes blinked rapidly from over the top of hands clutched around a second and third _daifukumochi._ "What do you mean?"

Atem twirled a stray thread on the bedclothes round his finger. Somehow, his eyes seemed to have frozen on the unconscious urgency with which he tugged on the thread. "Do you remember what you told me, that first night we had a drink together? About feeling as though you had a past life?"

Mana nodded slowly, never taking her eyes from Atem.

"I…wanted to keep it from you a little longer, because I wanted you to remember on your own, but I never could stand to see my friends suffering because of something I did, so…" Atem's free hand reached out and grasped one of Mana's as it came to rest on her knee. "I was born into nobility, destined to inherit the kingdom my father reigned over. Around us was a council of great advisors, and amongst them was a friend…and behind him…there was another."

Atem's eyes lifted then, searching Mana's face, as if to read her thoughts. "Mana, I…I believe you are the reincarnation of the priestess of the same name, who grew up in the court of Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen and befriended – "

"The prince!" Mana gasped and wrenched her hand away from Atem's to press both over her mouth, eyes wide and shiny, breathing heavy as though she might vomit.

"The _prince…_ oh gods, I…how could I have…? Atem! My prince, but I - "

With a cry like shattering glass, Mana flung herself into Atem's arms. "How did this happen?" she sobbed into Atem's shirt. "I d-don't understand…and _you're_ here, and…oh, Atem, I can't, I can't, I…"

Atem made to embrace her, to calm and steady her shaking body, but as quickly as she'd nestled into him, she was pushing herself back; a moment later she leaned over the side of the bed and heaved.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Summary: Magic, cuddles, and soft, sweet first kisses.**_

* * *

"A-Atem?" Yugi gasped as Atem stumbled into the apartment, a disoriented Mana in tow.

"I'll explain in a minute," Atem muttered – Mana had gone chalk-white and clapped a hand over her mouth. He hurried her into the bathroom just in time while Yugi frantically phoned Ryou to get him home.

Ryou, having only been one floor below them at Malik and Bakura's apartment, burst through the door minutes later, by which time Atem had cleaned Mana up, settled her on the sofa, and was dabbing at her brow with a flannel. Her face had regained only a touch of colour on her cheeks, eyes shining oddly bright and glassy; Ryou took one look at her and ran off to his bedroom, murmuring about needing to grab a few things.

"Oh, I'm so tired…" Mana whispered, head on Atem's shoulder.

"Try and stay awake a little longer, okay?" Atem stroked her hair gently.

"Mm-hm…"

Ryou returned at that moment, a book in hand and a few vials of unknown substances balancing on top of it. "Hi, Mana," he smiled as he sat beside her, "I'm Ryou. Could you tell me what happened, please?"

Mana cracked open an eye, glanced briefly at Ryou, then closed it again. "I…"

"I told her everything." Atem finished the barely begun sentence for her. Ryou immediately nodded in understanding. "She's been vomiting for hours now, and her headaches are becoming unbearable. Is that about right, Mana?"

"Mm," came the muffled reply from somewhere within Atem's shoulder.

"Oh, that does sound rough," Ryou sighed. "I think I have just the thing for you, Mana. It should help to ease your sickness and take the edge off these returning memories, okay?"

"Is it safe?" Mana's voice quavered with uncertainty.

"Perfectly so," Ryou assured her. With one hand he flipped a few pages of his book, tongue between his teeth as he felt for Mana's pulse in her wrist with his other hand. After a few moments, he looked up at Yugi, hovering shyly by the door. "Yugi, love, could you please bring the jar of aloe gel from the vanity table in our room?"

"Sure thing." Yugi disappeared off, seemingly grateful to have something to do to help.

"Any allergies, Mana?" Ryou asked.

"Hm? Um, not that I know of…"

Yugi returned with the jar of clear gel, and Ryou took it from him with a soft word of thanks. He dabbed a little onto the back of his hand before opening one of the vials he'd brought with him; Atem's nostrils twitched at the invigorating scent of peppermint oil. A drop of oil went into the gel on Ryou's hand, then he swirled them together and applied a gentle dab onto Mana's temples and wrists. "I often find peppermint works wonders for alleviating nausea," Ryou explained. "Feeling alright? Do you want anything?"

Mana shook her head. "I'm okay, thank you."

"Wonderful. Now, may I place my hands either side of your head?"

Mana looked confused, but she nodded, reaching out to twine her fingers with Atem's as Ryou leaned forward and carefully placed his hands, fingers spread wide, over her ears, cradling her head gently. Atem squeezed her hand in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture.

A light tingling sensation began to fizzle in the air, a tickle on Atem's skin. It wasn't unpleasant, but he couldn't suppress the instinctive shiver as the feeling buzzed through him like a swarm of bees. Mana pursed her lips, her eyes never leaving Ryou's as he whispered words under his breath in a language long-dead.

"Okay…I'm finished." Ryou drew back and rubbed his hands together a few times. "I should imagine you won't get such a headache now when something comes back to you."

Mana touched the centre of her brow, mouth slightly open. "I don't…how…?"

"I know this must be confusing for you." Ryou patted her knee sympathetically. "You're welcome to stay here as long as you like, or you can go back home, whatever makes you most comfortable."

"Atem?" Mana glanced up at Atem for guidance.

"Whatever you wish," he replied softly. His eyes flicked over to Ryou. "Thank you."

"What are friends for, hm?" Ryou beamed. "Now, I believe it is time I made some tea."

As Ryou hopped up off the sofa, Mana nestled into Atem with a content sigh. "You have amazing people around you, Atem."

Atem's fingers ran through Mana's hair, down the side of her face, finishing with a tender caress of her cheek. "Those might just be the truest words I have ever heard."

* * *

"How do you feel now?"

Atem and Mana sat opposite each other on Atem's bed, playing chess, Atem the black, Mana the white. After a brief respite following Ryou's spell, Mana opted to remain at the apartment for the night, rather than go back home. She had taken a shower, and Atem gave her an old t-shirt to wear; she looked exhausted, but much clearer-headed as she pushed her chess pieces across the board.

"Still not 100%, but a lot better than this morning, that's for sure," she replied. "Whatever your friend did…"

"Remarkable, isn't he?" Atem surveyed the board a moment, then picked up one of his knights and moved it to capture Mana's remaining rook.

"That's for sure. But…Atem…" Mana folded her hands in her lap. "I…don't really know how to process all this. Suddenly I have all these memories flooding back, and now I _know_ that I wasn't just going crazy, but…"

"I know," he said softly. "Nobody is expecting you to come to terms with any of it just yet. Give it time."

"It…sure explains why you always felt so familiar to me, though, doesn't it?"

"I imagine it does, yes."

"It's all so surreal," Mana giggled, a slight tremble in her tone. "Just a few weeks ago I was just that girl on the train, and now I'm, what? The reincarnation of a priestess from Ancient Egypt, friend of the prince turned Pharaoh!"

"Prince turned Pharaoh turned modern-day game nerd," Atem grinned. "The gods somehow saw fit to reunite you and I in this life. Regardless of their reasoning, I am grateful."

"Yeah…me too." Mana leaned back and yawned widely. "Mind if we finish this up tomorrow?"

"Of course."

The chess board was carefully picked up and settled atop Atem's desk, and Atem poked around in a chest of drawers till he found something he could wear to sleep. "You take my bed," he said to Mana, still sat atop the mattress and rubbing her eyes. "I'll be on the sofa, but come and get me if you need anything, alright?"

"I don't want you to have to sleep on the sofa!" Mana looked aghast. "You should sleep in your own bed."

"You are a guest here, Mana. It's only polite that every comfort is afforded you."

"I wouldn't…I just wouldn't feel right, knowing that…so you could stay here, maybe?"

Atem's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets in his shock. "T-That's – " he spluttered, "that wouldn't be appropriate!"

"Oh, hush," Mana teased, sticking out her tongue. "Don't you remember the night we fell asleep on _my_ sofa?"

She hopped off the bed, rubbed her head a moment with a grimace, then approached Atem with her arms held out. Atem stood frozen, unable to do anything but watch her, but when she touched him, it was only to rest her hands on his upper arms. "This should be no different. Do I make you nervous?"

Atem just about found his tongue to reply. "I-I…no, I'm just, well…not very good with social etiquette, I suppose. Mana, I – "

"You don't have to worry about that stuff around me, Atem." Mana sighed and leaned her head forwards to rest on Atem's collarbone. "Listen…can I tell you something that's been on my mind since earlier today?"

"By all means."

Now it was Mana's turn to sound as though she had lost her tongue. "It's…funny, really…how close we grew, before I remembered everything from the past. We were always friends, right? Close friends, and that was that. So of course, you felt familiar to me at the start, but I couldn't for the life of me figure any of it out, and I…"

Her eyes suddenly grew shiny, but not the disoriented sparkle of before – they were tears. "As Mana the priestess, I loved you as my friend, but now, as I am – as Kahina Nassar – I…Atem, I think I'm _in_ love with you."

Atem's heart froze along with his body. He wanted to brush Mana's tears away, but tim stopped for him, despite his brain whirring a million miles an hour.

"Really?" His voice came out hoarse, almost choked.

"Really."

"M-Me?"

"Yes, you, you big goof!" Mana slapped Atem's broad chest playfully, the hint of a smile reappearing on her face. "Now, I know you're a socially awkward dinosaur, but you could at least humour me with a good old friend-zoning of "oh, that's so sweet!""

 _I don't want to humour you._

 _I want…_

The acceptance of his heart's desire thawed out the icy tension in Atem's body. Taking in the sight of Mana before him, all shiny eyes and unruly hair, dressed only in bright, fluffy socks and an oversized t-shirt, he couldn't help leaning closer to her. The relics of the past screamed their opposition, that it was wrong, to covet an old friend so –

But that was then.

This was now…

…And as their lips met, brushing together in that first fleeting, tentative kiss, Atem cast aside his doubts and fears. Ecstatic joy bubbled within his being, revelling in the feel of Mana's delicate body against his, the scent of bubble-gum soap on her skin, the taste of her tongue slipping into his mouth. He let a hand wander into her hair, the other resting on her waist, as his eyes closed and he lost himself in the moment.

One kiss turned into two, then three, and before they knew it, they'd ended up back on the bed, Atem lying atop her as they kissed. He had no desire to risk taking their intimacy too far, however, and it seemed Mana had the same thought, as she pulled away and giggled, wiping her lips. "Wow, Atem…I wasn't expecting this."

Atem suppressed a chuckle, "No, me neither." He reached down to brush a few wayward strands of hair from Mana's flushed face. "I do believe I'll come to bed after all."

"Ha! I win!" Mana beamed up at Atem and looped her arms round his neck to draw him in for another deep kiss.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Summary: Nerding out with the boys, and a slight content warning for blood and a well-deserved smack.**_

* * *

Mana hummed a cheery, off-beat tune to herself as she sat cross-legged on the floor in Atem's living room, painting a small model hut with her tongue between her teeth. She couldn't remember the last time she'd actively sat down to do something so painstaking, precise and squint-inducing; no wonder Atem wore glasses if this was how he spent his time when not at work. Still, though, helping Ryou create all his little props for his new game board had to be the most fun Mana had had with painting since her childhood years.

Currently, she was on her own in the room; Atem had wandered off into his room for more craft supplies, Ryou was at work, and Yugi was baking. The delicious scents of apples, cinnamon and allspice wafted throughout the apartment, setting Mana's stomach rumbling something rotten, but her momentary bliss broke with a smashing noise from the kitchen, followed by a loud curse of, "Ow, _fuck!_ Dammit!"

Quick as a flash, Mana jumped up, model hut still in hand, and hurried to the kitchen to see what the cause of the commotion was. Barely a second later, Atem hovered close behind her, blinking rapidly behind his glasses. "I heard noises," he frowned.

"You don't say," Mana laughed, but her smile quickly flipped itself upside down when she saw Yugi nursing a bloodied hand, surrounded by thick shards of broken glass. "Yugi!" she cried, hurrying to him. "What happened?"

"Slipped," Yugi hissed through gritted teeth. "Hit the bowl on the counter and it shattered. _Damn,_ it cut deep – _oof!_ Mana, easy!" He winced when Mana grabbed his hand and turned it this way and that, inspecting the wounds.

"Do you have a first aid kit?" Mana asked Atem over her shoulder; the former Pharaoh simply shrugged. "Okay, you're hopeless, and I don't think Ryou's oils are going to help here…Yugi, please tell me you at least have bandages in this place."

Yugi managed a weak laugh. "We're a house of nerds, Mana. Medicines and first aid never really got too high on the priority list."

"You're hopeless too." Mana dropped Yugi's hand and gestured for Atem to take over. "Your friend Malik lives downstairs, right? I bet he's got some stuff we can use."

Atem's face paled, and he shook his head. "N-No, Mana. It would be best if I went down instead of – "

Mana reached for the nearby dustpan and brush, shoving them into Atem's hands to shut him up. "Yugi, put your hand under the tap," she ordered. "Atem, sweep all this up, okay? I'm going to go find Malik."

 _Atem keeps stopping me from going downstairs,_ Mana thought to herself as she left the apartment. _Surely Malik can't be_ that _bad…right?_

It had been several weeks since Mana and Atem began dating, and she hadn't yet seen neither hide nor hair of the enigmatic Egyptian friend the boys often mentioned, but she _did_ know the apartment number he lived at. She tapped on the door of number 10 and bounced on the balls of her feet, waiting. After a moment the sound of dull footsteps approached, and the door creaked open.

Mana's heart dropped into the depths of her gut. Standing in front of her, shirtless and scowling, was the very man who had taken her master away, who had taken her prince, who had ruined _everything._ Every feature, right down to his pale eyes and jagged scar, set her memories ablaze in a way she knew couldn't be wrong. No more migraines – those had long since passed thanks to Ryou's intervention – but sorrow and rage bubbled within her. If only she remembered how to cast spells herself - !

She slapped him. Hard.

"Bakhure! What the hell are you doing here?!"

Bakura stared at her, rubbing his now rather red cheek. "Oi, Malik!" he yelled over his shoulder. "Did you mail-order an abusive stripper again?"

"Well, it isn't your birthday, so I don't – " Malik appeared then, peering around a doorway behind Bakura. "Ah."

 _"Marhaban,"_ Mana said curtly, glaring around Bakura.

 _"Ahlan wa sahlan ya habibti,"_ Malik replied, scratching his head. "Um, Bakura…can you let Mana in, please?"

Matching Mana's glare, Bakura stepped to the side and stormed off somewhere in the apartment. Mana entered after him and exhaled a shaky breath. "Malik, I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I didn't…"

"It's alright." Malik strode over to Mana and took both her hands in his own. He kissed the back of each hand and gave them a careful squeeze. "He'll bitch about it later, but…well, you can see why everyone wanted to keep you away from him, right?"

"Were you going to hide him away from me forever?" Despite the demand in her tone and the anger in her soul, Mana nevertheless felt the inevitable rush of affection at the gentlemanly manner with which Malik handled her.

"No, of course not. I'm just…we're all so tired of dredging up the past now. Guess we wanted a little time to figure out how to approach it with you, now you have your memories back and everything…" Malik sighed and dropped Mana's hands. "Sorry we've met under these circumstances. Did you need something, Mana?"

Mana nodded. "Yugi's cut his hand up. I was wondering if you had any bandages or the like."

"Sounds about right that they wouldn't have anything themselves." Malik turned on his heel and began walking away, gesturing for Mana to follow. He led her to the bathroom, where he knelt and began rummaging through a cupboard underneath the sink. "What's he cut his hand on?"

"Glass. He was baking and his bowl broke."

Malik frowned at a pair of slender-tipped tweezers, then added them to the small pile of objects he was gathering. "Those lot upstairs really are lost causes. Nerds, am I right?"

"Just a little," Mana giggled.

Malik smiled up at her. "You seem to be settling in well with them, though."

"Mm-hm. They're all so lovely."

"That's good to hear." Malik straightened and deposited the small bundle of first aid basics into Mana's hands. "Listen…I get that you'll be angry with Bakura. Hell, he probably deserves it for the crap he pulled back in the day. I won't defend him on that, not at all. But – "

"You want me to make peace with him. I know." Mana hugged the bundle closer, grimacing. "It's been over three thousand years…but now I remember everything, it hurts just as much as it did the day my master died."

"I…" Malik rolled his shoulder with a wince, rubbing the blade with the heel of his hand, "…I don't think that pain ever really goes away. Believe me, I know. I'm not suggesting you make peace with him, but maybe clearing the air as much as you can might help. You'll be surprised at how stupidly soft the dumb bastard can be when he's faced with what he did wrong."

Mana contemplated Malik's words. It didn't seem to her that he was simply trying to make her see the good side to his boyfriend – he was too wise for that. No, she felt the gentle maturity in him, and no sway in his tone. Atem had explained, briefly, Malik's history as the keeper of the very memories the Pharaoh sealed away, so it was with a heavy heart that she accepted he knew pain as much as she did, if not more.

She nodded. "I'll think on it."

Malik inclined his head. "I'm grateful. I have to live with the grumpy git, after all, so you'd save me the job." He pointed up towards the ceiling with a smirk. "You'd best get that stuff upstairs before Atem has a heart attack over his _aibou."_

"Yeah, I should probably hurry," Mana laughed. Malik walked her to the front door with a much more relaxed air than when she had initially appeared. _"Shukran ya habibi!"_

Malik chuckled as he opened the door. _"Afwan, Mana. Ilā al-liqā."_

A warm ache of sorrow still swelled within Mana's chest as she headed back upstairs, but her burdens felt lighter, somehow. Ever since her memories returned, she'd beaten herself up for not fighting tooth and nail to keep Mahad behind at the palace during the skirmishes with Bakura, but knowing there was someone who understood her, and knowing her master lived on, ever protecting Atem, lifted her spirits.

With a satisfied smile, she opened the door to Atem's apartment one-handed and breezed in to find the broken glass swept away, and Yugi and Atem sat together on the sofa, Yugi's bleeding hand elevated and wrapped loosely in a tea towel. Atem rushed over as soon as Mana entered, grabbing her shoulders a little too hard. "Are you alright?" he asked sharply.

"I'm fine," she replied with a frown. "What did you think was going to happen?"

"What _did_ happen?"

"I may or may not have slapped Bakhure round the face."

Yugi burst out laughing on the sofa. "I would have paid good money to see that!"

"Oh, and Malik gave me this stuff," Mana added, holding up the first aid bundle.

Atem nodded, his grip loosening slightly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Mana pecked him on the lips, giggling. "I'm okay, sweetie." She wriggled out from Atem's grasping hands and plopped down in the space he'd left vacant on the sofa. Taking hold of Yugi's hand gently, she unwrapped the tea-towel and inspected the wounds, now red around the edges and a little swollen. "Do you think there are any shards of glass stuck in here?" she asked Yugi.

Yugi shook his head. "Doesn't feel like it. Just sore."

"Well, that saves me fumbling around with the tweezers." She began cleaning the cuts with saline; Yugi hissed and flinched occasionally, but otherwise didn't protest. Once cleaned, she patted his skin dry and wrapped his hand in soft bandages. "There we go. You should probably leave the rest of the baking to Ryou for now."

"Smart choice, I guess," Yugi grinned. "Thank you, Mana. Once the turnovers already in the oven are done, I'll send a few down to Malik to show my appreciation."

"I think he'd appreciate it more if you got your own damn first aid kit."

"Okay, yeah, we should probably get one of those, too."

Atem perched on the sofa arm beside Mana, leaning in to nuzzle her cheek. "You're amazing, you know that?" he murmured.

"I'm nothing special." Mana tilted her head to lean it against Atem's.

"I disagree strongly."

"You're such a dork, Atem."

"There's a lot of evidence to back up your claim."

"Still love you, though."

Atem chuckled. "I love you too, Mana."

* * *

 _ **If anyone is wondering about the bits in Arabic, Mana is saying hello to Malik, and he responds by welcoming her - oh, and "habibti" is the feminine-addressing form of "habibi," which means "my love." Later, she thanks him, and he says it's no problem before wishing her farewell. I'm not well-versed in Arabic by any means, but I've been learning bits here and there, because I work with quite a large Arabic-speaking clientele, and they look at you like Christmas came early if you can speak even a tad of their language, it's lovely and really goes a long way in fostering a meaningful relationship with them.**_


	8. Chapter 8

The next day was Saturday, and both Atem and Mana had the weekend free to spend with each other. After the trouble with Yugi's hand, Mana figured it would be easier to stick around for the rest of the day, or at least until Ryou came home from work, just in case Yugi did himself another injury. Thankfully, the day passed without Yugi having any more accidents, and the apple turnovers he'd baked were utterly delicious. True to his word, he sent some down to Malik as thanks for giving them his first aid kit.

Mana stayed the night – the cosy apartment felt like a second home to her now. Ryou and Yugi had welcomed her into their lives with open arms, and if it weren't for her cats, she probably would have lived there full-time, but it was nice to have the space at her own apartment when she needed it. She and Atem understood and respected their privacy and boundaries; nothing had been rushed between them.

And yet…on this lazy Saturday morning, as Mana lay in bed with her childhood friend turned slightly awkward boyfriend, she wondered what it might be like to explore each other further.

Still asleep, Atem had rolled over so his back was to Mana, but she didn't mind as she scooted closer and draped an arm round his waist, nuzzling her cheek between his shoulder blades and letting his body heat soak into her. Sleeping in the same bed was normal for them now, but their clothes always stayed on, and they'd gone no further than a few suggestive touches while kissing. There was no doubt in Mana's mind that Atem was the man she wanted to be with, but she knew his nervousness, his reluctance to ruin what had been a very good friendship in the days of Ancient Egypt…she wouldn't bring the thought up until she knew he was completely comfortable entertaining it.

And until then…coffee called. Mana pressed one last kiss onto Atem's back, and clambered out of bed. She could hear the shower running, but that was fine, she'd taken one before turning in for the night. She rubbed her eyes, located her slippers by the door, and shuffled out to the kitchen, following the smell of the percolator.

She found Ryou sitting on the kitchen counter, munching toast with one hand while he tapped at his phone with the other. "Good morning," he smiled as Mana wandered in.

"Morning, Ryou," Mana smiled back.

"Atem still asleep?"

"Yeah, he's out for the count right now." She poured herself some coffee and leaned on the counter beside Ryou. "I'll stay another few hours, then I need to get back and...ugh...do some cleaning."

Ryou laughed softly. "I seem to be the only one who actually enjoys cleaning."

"You're nuts."

"Well, I mean...I can't exactly deny that," he grinned.

Mana sipped her coffee with amusement in her gaze. Ryou had been nothing short of amazing since she'd met him - such a sweet young man.

A faint clicking sound caught her attention, but she didn't pay it too much mind until the heavy _thud_ of the front door banging open, and a grouchy voice calling out, "Oi, _Yadonushi!"_

"Bakura?" Ryou frowned as he jumped down off the counter, abandoning his toast as he padded through to the living room. Mana groaned in exasperation, remaining firmly in place.

"The girl, is she here?" she heard Bakura ask.

"Mana? Yeah, but what's -"

Ryou's words were cut off by the sound of heavy boots across the floor, and then Bakura was standing in front of Mana, grabbing hold of her wrist and pulling. "Come with me."

"Wait, what - !"

Bakura didn't give her time to respond, promptly dragging her past a bewildered Ryou and straight out of the apartment. Mana glared reproachfully over her shoulder at Ryou at his lack of assistance before Bakura yanked her over to the elevator and jabbed a button on the wall.

Mana finally managed to wrench her arm away. "You had better tell me right now what the hell is going on!" she thundered. Bakura just rolled his eyes pointedly. "Bakhure, are you even listening to me?!"

"Quit calling me that, would you?" Bakura muttered. "Look, I need to talk to you, so just shut up and get in the damn lift when it gets here."

Mana huffed irritably and leaned back against the wall, wrapping her arms round her middle. Her pyjamas, while not the most revealing pair she owned, certainly left little to the imagination, and she couldn't help feeling a little self-conscious at the amount of cleavage and leg on show. Bakura didn't seem to take any notice of her state of undress, however, continuing to jab at the button for the lift until it finally arrived and he pointed for her to get in.

The pair were silent the whole ride down, the quiet only broken by the occasional long exhales of breath from Bakura blowing smoke from his lungs. He'd lit up a cigarette the moment the lift doors closed behind them, and Mana wrinkled her nose, but said nothing, just wanting to get away from the situation as fast as she could. He flicked the butt away into a corner when the lift juddered to a halt, earning another disapproving glare from Mana which he ignored as he tapped his foot, waiting for the lift doors to open.

"Where are we going?" Mana asked.

"Round the back," Bakura replied. "Won't be overheard there."

"What is so important that you had to drag me outside?"

The doors slid open, and Bakura lit up another cigarette, not replying to Mana. She growled in the back of her throat and kicked the floor with her toe, knowing perfectly well she appeared to be throwing a sulk; in her defence, she was cold, confused, and in the presence of the very man that murdered her master and had a hand in summoning Zorc into the world. Bakura paid her no more attention than he might pay a fly on the wall, instead striding out to the fire exit and barging the door open with his hip. Mana could have just turned on her heel and headed straight back up the way she came, back to delicious coffee and Atem's warm bed, but annoying as Bakura was, she figured she might as well hear him out, so with a resigned sigh, she followed him outside.

Bakura had settled himself on top of a half-crumbling wall, cross-legged and puffing away on his cigarette with a displeased expression. Mana stopped in front of him and poked him in the chest. "Okay, buster. Explain what this is all about. Now."

Bakura looked down at her prodding finger, blinking slowly. "Well, that's better than being slapped, I suppose."

"You deserved that, and you know it."

"Yeah, I'm an asshole. Sue me, why don't you." Bakura exhaled a puff of smoke over his shoulder. "Can we get to the bit where we scream profanities at each other, so I can go back home and forget about all this?"

"Um, _you're_ the one who grabbed _me."_

A pink tinge darkened Bakura's cheeks as he tapped ash from the end of his cigarette. "…Let me finish this, and then we'll talk."

Mana rolled her eyes. "Fine." Pushing herself away from the wall, she moved to sit down on the step below the fire exit door, wincing at the damp cold that spread through the thin fabric of her pyjama shorts.

The silence that followed spread onwards like the chill in Mana's buttocks – prolonged and irritating. Bakura ended up lighting one cigarette after another, seemingly never content with the amount of toxins he drew into his lungs, but Mana didn't fail to notice how his hands quivered, or how his pale eyes wandered restlessly. _He's nervous,_ she realised with a pang.

Finally, Bakura spoke. "…A lot has happened since…you know…"

Mana scowled. "That changes nothing. Do you have _any_ idea how much hurt you caused?"

"I'm perfectly aware that I fucked up majorly in the past, but what's done is done."

"You killed my master in cold blood!" Mana hissed. "You stole from royal tombs, and from the Pharaoh's court. You invited a monster into our world and almost killed us all. Your actions cost Atem his life!"

"I _know!"_ Bakura shouted. "You don't need to remind me, okay?! Fuck, it's hard enough living with this without everyone yelling at me about it every five seconds!" He ground the butt of his cigarette into the wall and drew his knees to his chest. "I can't apologise. I can't ever do that, because it would all be a lie. I wanted my people to rest, and I wanted the Pharaoh to hurt as much as I did. So yes, I broke into his father's tomb, and countless other tombs before that. But I had to survive somehow. Thieving was all I knew, and I was a _child,_ Mana! As shit as things were for me, I still wanted to live! I brought Zorc into the world because if I couldn't bring my people home, nobody else deserved to be on this rotten earth!"

The sudden tears shining in Bakura's eyes took Mana completely aback. "I-I don't…" she stammered. "I don't understand – your people? You…wanted them to…?"

Bakura sighed. "Of course…you didn't know." He reached into his pocket for his cigarettes, found the box empty, and chucked it aside with a muttered curse. "The Items, they…they were made from the flesh and blood of my people. Akhenaden gave the order to storm my village, slaughter the people, burn everything to the ground." His arms came around his knees now, fingers digging in tightly. "I watched as my mother and father were thrown into a cauldron of forbidden magic, along with the rest of them. Thus, the Items were born."

His gaze turned on Mana, bright and watery though his tears never fell. "I'm the only one who survived," he whispered hoarsely. "I was just a child who wanted his family back, who wanted to fight and live on to keep their memory alive. And I was prepared to do that however I could, so I could bring them home."

Mana couldn't look at Bakura, his words a heavy weight on her heart. Mahad had spoken briefly of a sacrifice for the Items to come into their possession, but this…this was beyond reasoning. _My master…he knew this had happened. He knew, and he never said a word. I-I don't…I can't believe all this happened under our noses…where was the justice in this?!_

"B-Bakhure, I…"

Bakura shook his head. "That might have been my name once, but I don't want to hear it anymore. I need to leave the past behind, Mana. It's the only way I've been able to live with the guilt and the trauma these last few years. Hate me if that's what helps you sleep at night, but I won't give a fuck, because I know I did what I had to do. I failed in the end, but your dumbass boyfriend finished the job when I couldn't, and now I know my people can rest, I've no business with revenge."

He wiped his eyes with the cuff of his hoodie and snorted, the usual derisive tone creeping back into his voice. "Whatever you think of me and what I did, I'll still be living my life without any regrets, knowing they'd be proud of me, and wanting me to move on."

As quickly as Bakura's tears had dried up, Mana's eyes filled. She dabbed them away, refusing to cry in front of him, but the simmering anger in her core began to die down as she realised she couldn't carry on like this any more than Bakura could. How could she, when the former King of Thieves had all but bared his soul to her? If this was his redemption, then so, too, could it be the catalyst for Mana to reconcile with her own past.

"I can't forget," she said quietly. "I can't forget as much as you can't apologise. There's no use hating you for the rest of my life, but maybe I can forgive you. You deserve that much, for what you've told me today." She stood, brushed off her shorts, and turned on her heel, preparing to leave. "I'm going back upstairs now, okay? I need some time to think."

Bakura nodded. "I understand."

She took the stairs this time. With her back turned, only then did Mana allow herself to cry the millennia of grief wrapping cold fingers around her heart.


End file.
